Crank mechanism for a lift-slide cover of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A crank mechanism for a lift-slide cover of a motor vehicle having a crank arm with which a shaft can be rotated which is connected with a drive for a lift-slide mechanism of the lift-slide cover. The crank arm is pivotable relative to the shaft. By swiveling the crank arm a sliding piece is slid perpendicularly to a locking pin disposed parallel to the shaft and lifts this locking pin against the force of the spring. Since the sliding piece and the locking pin have oblique surfaces, the locking pin engages into the sliding piece after lifting.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 466,296, filed Mar. 23,1990, abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The invention relates to a crank mechanism for lift-slide coversdisposed in the ceiling of motor vehicles.

Lift-slide covers disposed in the ceiling of motor vehicles are as arule operated with hand cranks. It should therein be possible to carryout at least two functions with these hand cranks: the lifting of thecover about a given angle relative to an axis extending parallel to theto the ceiling of the motor vehicle as well as the sliding of the coverparallel to the motor vehicle cover. After completion of the particularfunction the hand crank often is in addition to be foldable into asunken recess so that the interior side of the cover of the motorvehicle has no protruding edges. This folding-in moreover should, inaddition, also be possible from each final position of the hand crankwhich means an additional difficulty because the crank arm can oftenonly be folded into the sunken recess if it is in a particular position.Whether the lift-slide cover is to be lifted or slid with the hand crankcan for example be decided by reversal of the direction of rotation. Thecranking in the clockwise direction causes therein for example thelifting of the cover while the cranking in the counterclockwisedirection effects the sliding of the cover. It is of importance in thiscase that a zero position between both directions of rotation isdefined.

A crank drive for lift-slide roofs of motor vehicles is already known inwhich a crank arm is swivelled about its swivel axis into a particularposition and its end extended beyond the swivel axis comes into contactwith a hook at the lower end of the pin whereby this pin is pulled inthe downward direction against the effect of a spring (DE-OS 24 26 765).Through the motion of the pin an outer toothing is brought out ofengagement with an inner toothing at a drive pinion so that the crankarm together with a sleeve and the pin is rotatable into a position fromwhich it can be swivelled into a sunken recess. Through the swivellingof the crank arm it is consequently no longer possible to swivel thelift-slide roof. However, in the case of this known crank drive it is ofdisadvantage that the crank arm before the swivel motion must first bebrought from its operation position into a position which is directedcounter to the later swivel motion.

Hereby the crank arm assumes three quasi-stable positions which withrespect to its operation is awkward.

A similar manually operated crank and drive mechanism for a lift-slidecover with which it is possible to fold the crank arm with amultiplicity of positions of displacement of the cover into a sunkenrecess is known from DE-P 24 42 7190. Herein all functions for theactuation of the slide cover, specifically the sliding as well as alsothe setting as well as also the releasing of the latching in the closureposition for enabling the setting motion can be carried out with asingle actuation member specifically the crank arm. It is herein ofdisadvantage that the crank arm must be latched in three differentpositions. A first position is required when lifting the cover, a secondduring normal sliding of the cover, and a third in the folded-inposition.

Further, a device is known for limiting the number of rotations of ashaft for rotatable drives of sliding roof drives in motor vehicles inwhich for two different motion progressions which can be brought aboutwith the same shaft for optional sliding or setting when swivelling inthe slide cover in spite of the setting paths which are of differentlength for the two motions and which are to be limited by means of thedevice only one shift position is provided to simplify the operation ofthe slide roof equipped with two shift functions (DE-P 23 33 666).Herein is slidably disposed parallel to the shaft a locking pin whichpermits in its shifted-in final position both directions of rotation ofthe drive and in its disengaged position blocks the drive in bothdirections. Herein is of disadvantage that the hand crank first must bebrought out of its resting position with thumb and index finger.Subsequently either a second hand or the thumb of the first hand must beused for depressing a push button. Therein the index finger alone mustinitiate the rotation of the hand crank before it is possible tocontinue rotating with thumb and index finger. This is unsatisfactoryfrom the aspect of ease of operation and safety. In the final positionsthe hand crank is in an oblique position and cannot be folded in.Moreover, the final stroke in the final position is not defined.

Furthermore, a slide roof is known in which a crank gear mechanism islocked in the zero position of a slide cover, thus in the closureposition, through a stud engaging a disk of the crank gear mechanismwhich is disengaged by a dog [plate] of at least one predeterminedfolding position of the crank (DE-A-3 200 289). Since the locking pin isdriven via a gear reduction and does not directly position the crank,and because furthermore the crank is disengaged from the gear mechanism,it is not possible to again fold in immediately the blocked crank whichis again just located over the cavity.

Lastly, a hand crank apparatus for slide or lift roofs is also knownwith which it is possible to dispense with the actuation of a pushbutton for latching of a once-set positioning-out height of theslide-lift roof (DE-OS 33 08 823). In this hand crank drive form-fittingengagement means are coaxially assigned to a hand crank and an inputtoothed wheel of a gear mechanism wherein these engagement means can betemporarily brought out of engagement against a spring load. Asform-fitting engagement means are provided projections and depressionsin a raster-head and a raster-plate lying one above the other. Ofdisadvantage in this known hand crank drive is, however, that the handcrank must be rotated and simultaneously together with a hub must bepressed upward by a particular displacement path against the load of aplate spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is therefore based on the task of creating a crankmechanism according to the preamble of Patent Claim 1 which makes itpossible without actuating an additional push button to rotate the handcrank toward the right or the left.

The advantage achieved with the invention comprises in particular inthat the hand crank can be latched in any given position relative to themotor vehicle roof by means of a locking pin. If the hand crank isfolded down it is possible to rotate immediately in the clockwise orcounterclockwise direction whereby an immediate lifting or sliding ofthe cover is made possible. In addition, the final position is definedand the destruction of the annular gear of the crank mechanism gearsystem is virtually impossible. Furthermore, it is possible to provideon the underside of the mechanism a covering cap whereby a labelingfield is generated and screws and pins are covered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment example of the invention is represented in the drawing andwill be described below in greater detail. Therein show:

FIG. 1--a crank mechanism in side view wherein the hand crank assumes afirst position relative to an anchor plate of the crank drive mechanism;

FIG. 2--the crank mechanism according to FIG. 1 wherein, however, thehand crank assumes a position rotated about 90° relative to the anchorplate;

FIG. 3--a projection view of the underside of the crank mechanismaccording to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4--a plan view onto the upper side of the crank mechanism accordingto FIG. 2;

FIG. 5--a side view of the crank mechanism according to FIG. 2 whereinhowever the crank arm is folded upward;

FIG. 6--a detailed partial cross-sectional representation of an devicefor sliding a locking pin along the line 6--6 in FIG. 3 wherein thedevice is in a first position;

FIG. 7--a detailed partial cross-sectional representation along the line7--7 in FIG. 3 as in FIG. 6, wherein however the device for sliding thelocking pin is in a second position;

FIG. 8--a representation in cross section of a crank mechanism of asecond embodiment of the present invention in which the locking deviceas well as also the crank drive proper can be seen; and

FIG. 9--is a simplified view illustrating the installation of the crankmechanism in the roof of an automobile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 is represented a crank mechanism 1 for the operation of alift-slide cover 74 in a motor vehicle. This crank mechanism 1 has ananchor plate 2, a shaft 3 rotatable jointly with this anchor plate 2, ashaft 5 fixedly connected with a flange 4, a substructure 6 fixedlyseated on the shaft 5, and a toothed gear 7 likewise fixedly connectedwith the shaft 5. To this crank mechanism belong additionally also alower plate 8, disposed at a distance from this flange 4, and havingessentially the same contours as it. Plate 8 and flange 4 always havethe same spatial position one to the other since they are both fixedlyconnected with shaft 5. Between the plate 8 and the flange 4 aredisposed a sliding piece 9 which can be slid against the force of aspring in the direction toward the shaft 5 and which contains a cap 10with triangular cross section which can be brought into contact with anelement to be displaced.

With the flange 4 via an axle 11 a crank arm 12 is connected to a crankpiece 13 which can assume two settings of which the one setting is shownin FIG. 1. In this final position shown in FIG. 1 a displacement part 14is out of contact with the sliding piece 9 which it is to displace. Theanchor plate 2 is disposed stationary relative to the ceiling 72 of amotor vehicle so that with a rotation of the crank arm 12 relative tothis anchor plate 2 the plate 8, a rotation of the crank arm 12 relativeto this anchor plate 2 the plate 8, the flange 4, the sliding piece 9,the toothed gear 7, the substructure 6, and the shaft 5 rotate whiletogether with the shaft 3 the anchor plate 2, which has additionally aprojection 15 directed in the downward direction, does not change itsposition.

For sliding a locking pin 34 not visible in FIG. 1, on the projection 15is provided a ramp 16 which must be brought into contact with the cap 10but in FIG. 1 is not in contact with this cap 10 because the crank arm12 is not in the proper position to the anchor plate 2. If the crank arm12 is rotated about 90° relative to the anchor plate 2, the positionshown in FIG. 2 results. In the representation of FIG. 2, however, theposition of the crank arm 12 is maintained while the position of theanchor plate 2 compared to the representation of FIG. 1 is rotated by90°. Hereby the structural elements important for the invention are moreclearly recognizable.

These structural elements are the sliding piece 9, the cap 10, theprojection 15, and the ramp 16. The cap 10 now lies directly oppositethe ramp 16 so that with a motion of the cap 10 toward the right a forceis exerted on the ramp 16, and the latter would due to its obliquesurface need to absorb a vertical force component which could move theramp 16 in the upward direction. In FIG. 2 can be seen above thesubstructure 6 the toothing 32.

FIG. 3 shows crank mechanism 1 in a view from below. This is the viewwhich the motor vehicle driver has if he looks toward the ceiling of hismotor vehicle. It can be seen that the anchor plate 2 has two bores 17,18 through which can be placed the screws for fastening the anchor plate2 to the motor vehicle ceiling. The crank arm 12 is shown broken open atits one end so that the axle 11 can be seen. In addition the undersideof the displacement part 14 can be seen which is disposed between twostays 24, 25 of the crank arm 12. Analogously plate 8 and flange 4 arevisible wherein the flange 4 is connected by means of a screw 35 withthe shaft 5.

FIG. 4 shows the same crank mechanism 1 as in FIG. 3, however in a viewonto the upper side facing the motor vehicle ceiling 72 wherein thecrank arm 12 is folded away from this motor vehicle ceiling. Hereby agap 19 between the displacement part 14 and the anchor plate 2 isformed.

The spring 20 can be seen which essentially has the form of an omegawhose upper part is braced against a cross bracing 21 of the crank arm12 while the lower ends are introduced into bearings 22, 23 which arefixedly connected with plate 4 and in which rests also the axle 11. Dueto this spring 20 the crank arm 12 can assume two stable positions: onelower position represented in FIGS. 1 and 4 and limited through thelimit stop of crank arm 12 with its projections 24, 25 to plate 4 andone upper position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 defined by the displacementpart 14 and by limit stop parts 26, 27. A disk 28 with eccentriccircumference and a notch 29 in this circumference surrounds the shaft 3carrying the toothed gear 7 which is connected with a retaining ring 30with shaft 5. By 31 is denoted a rivet head whose rivet connectsrotatably the crank piece 13 with the crank arm 12.

FIG. 5 shows a view of the crank mechanism 1 which essentially agreeswith the view of FIG. 2 wherein however the crank arm 12 is foldedupward. It can be seen herein that the ramp 16 is now located to theleft of the cap 10. By lifting the crank arm 12 the displacement part 14was pressed against the edge of the sliding piece 9 which hereupon movedbetween the two plates 4, 8 toward the right, slid with its obliquesurface of the cap 10 the ramp 16 against a spring force in the upwarddirection, and subsequently appeared on the rearward side of this ramp16 so that the latter moved again downward. Since now the twonon-oblique surfaces of cap 10 and ramp 16 oppose each other, the ramp16 can no longer be pushed upward. A recess 70 which is located in theroof of a motor vehicle is shown schematically in FIG. 5.

The details during the lifting-upward of ramp 16 and consequently of thelocking pin connected with ramp 16 are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

In FIG. 6 it can be seen how through the pressure of the displacementpart 14 onto the sliding piece 9 of cap 10 representing the extension ofan oblique surface 33 of the sliding piece 9, ramp 16 and consequentlythe locking pin 34 are lifted upward. The pressure herein takes placeagainst t the force of a spring 36 disposed between the substructure 6and the sliding part 9.

FIG. 7 shows the condition in which locking pin 34 is lifted upward andlocked against sliding backwards. The backward locking results therebythat only the two non-oblique rearward flanks of cap 10 and ramp 16oppose each other.

In FIG. 8 is represented in a partial section a variant of the devicedescribed in the preceding Figures which simultaneously also showsdetails of the drive mechanism known per se. In this variant a uniformblock 37 is provided which carries the sliding piece 9 and the spring36. This block 37 furthermore is closed off downwardly with a cap 38which engages with a nose 39 into a notch of the block 37 and which hasseveral spacers 40, 41, 42. Between the spacers 41 and 42 is located thescrew head 35. The cap 38 hence covers this screw head and forms a fieldfor a potential label. An end face 43 can be realized in its upper areaso that it likewise engages into block 37.

The shaft 5 is provided on the one side with a serrated head 44 and onthe other side with the drive gear 7 which drives two wires 45, 46 whichhave spiral worm tops 48, 49 and form so-called thread cables. The wire45 is hereby always moved in the direction opposite to wire 46. Wires45, 46 are connected with lift 74 and slide mechanisms 76 already knownand therefore not described in further detail; however, the generalplacement and use of these elements together with the roof 72 is shownin simplified form in FIG. 9.

The operating crank with corresponding counter toothing placed on theserrated head 44 is composed of the block 37 functioning as crank footand the crank arm 12. The block 37 and the crank arm 12 are articulatedwith each other by means of axle 11. The shaft 5 led through the anchorplate body 2 is rotatably supported with areas 50 and 51 on a bearingcover 52 or a bearing ring 53 set into the anchor plate body 2,respectively.

The bearing cover 52 is set into the anchor plate body 2 and fastenedfor example at its circumference by caulking. The axial fixing of thedrive toothed gear 7 is assumed by the retaining ring 30. A cam plate 54fastened rigidly at shaft 5 supports the annular gear 56 provided withexternal toothing whose toothing engages the internal toothing in theanchor plate body 2. The external toothing can for example have 34 teethwhile the internal toothing has 36 teeth.

The operating mechanism of the device represented in FIG. 8 is asfollows: With the rotation of shaft 5 by means of the crank arm 12 inthe one or the other direction and the part connected to ittorsion-tight the cam plate moves the annular gear 56 which thereinrolls with its external toothing 55 off the stationary internal toothingof the anchor plate 2. Since the number of teeth differs by two teeththe relative position between the annular gear 56 and the internaltoothing after completion of one rotation of shaft 5 is shifted by themeasure of two tooth divisions in the direction of the circumference.The annular gear 56 therein rotates oppositely to the direction ofrotation of shaft 5, however with an angular speed decreased by ordersof magnitude. It can therefore be seen that the application of limitstops at the annular gear 56 and the assignment of stationary limitstops must lead after precisely definable numbers of rotation of shaft 5to the blocking of shaft 5 and consequently limitation of rotation, i.e.path limitation of the parts driven over via the toothed gear 7.

In the following the limit stop means which, on the one hand, aredisposed on the anchor plate body 2 and, on the other hand, on theannular gear 56 will be explained in detail. The locking pin 34 guidedslidably in a guidance sleeve 57 has a flange 58 through which themotion of the locking pin 34 is limited due to an annular projection 59if the guidance sleeve 57. The end of the locking pin 34 provided with atransverse recess 60 is guided in a bore 61 in the anchor plate body 2.A helical compression spring 62 is set into the annular space betweenthe locking pin 34 and a cylinder bore 63 and braces itself, on the onehand, on flange 58 fastened on the locking pin 34 and being unitary withit, and, on the other hand, on the anchor plate body 2. The bore 63 iscarried through to an annular channel 64 concentrically surrounding theshaft 5, into which annular channel 64 the locking pin 34 projects.

Further details of the structure of the device according to FIG. 8 canbe found in DE-P 23 33 666. Since they are not essential to the presentinvention, their description is omitted.

It is furthermore emphasized that pin 34 in the embodiment example hasindeed an oblique ramp 16 but that one such is not absolutely necessary.It would also be conceivable to round off the pin or implement itotherwise at its one end so that it can be lifted upward and engagesinto a correspondly implemented sliding piece 9.

Moreover, the mechanism for lifting upward the pin is not limited to theapplication in a crank mechanism but rather it can be used wherever apin is to be lifted upward by means of a rotary motion of an arm or thelike.

I claim:
 1. A crank mechanism for a lift-slide cover of a motor vehiclecomprising:a crank arm (12); a shaft (5); a coupling means (45, 46) forconnecting said shaft (5) with a lift-slide mechanism of the lift-slidecover; an axis of rotation (11) with respect to which the crank arm (12)is swivelable, whereby said axis of rotation (11) extendsperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said shaft (5); a lockingpin (34) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft andbeing displaceable along its longitudinal axis whereby the locking pin(34) in a first position blocks the rotary motion of the crank arm (12)and in a second position releases the rotary motion of the crank arm(12); means (20, 24, 25, 26, 27) for establishing first and secondstable swiveling positions of the crank arm (12); and means (9) movablevertically with respect to said shaft (5), said means (9) moving saidlocking pin (34) from said first position into said second positionduring the swiveling of said crank arm (12) from said first stableswiveling position into said second stable swiveling position.
 2. Crankmechanism as stated in claim 1 further comprising a blocking deviceengageable with said locking pin wherein through a swiveling of thecrank arm (12) into said first stable swiveling position said blockingdevice is actuated which moves said locking pin to said first positionwhich blocks the shaft (5) against rotary motions and that throughswiveling of the crank arm (12) into said second stable swivelingposition the blocking device is actuated to move said locking pin tosaid second position to release a rotary motion of the shaft (5). 3.Crank mechanism as stated in claim 2, characterized in that the blockingdevice contains a sliding piece (9) which moves said locking pin (34).4. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 2 characterized in that theblocking device during swiveling of the crank arm (12) in a direction ofa motor vehicle ceiling is released and when folding down the crank arm(12) is still released.
 5. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 1 whereina drive for the crank mechanism contains a device (51, 53, 54, 55) forthe limitation of the number of rotations of the shaft (5).
 6. Crankmechanism as stated in claim 1, wherein a cam plate (54) is fastenedrigidly on the shaft (5).
 7. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 6,wherein on the circumferential surface of the cam plate (54) an annulargear (56) provided with an external toothing (55) is rotatablysupported.
 8. Crank mechanism for a lift-slide cover of a motor vehiclecomprising:a crank arm (12); a shaft (5) whose longitudinal axis extendsessentially perpendicularly through an imaginary surface which is formedby the rotary motion of the crank arm (12); a coupling means (45, 46)for connecting the shaft (5) with a lift-slide mechanism of thelift-slide cover; an axis of rotation (11) with respect to which thecrank arm (12) is swivelable, whereby said axis of rotation (11) extendsperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said shaft (5); a lockingpin (34) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft andbeing displaceable along its longitudinal axis, whereby the locking pin(34) in a first position blocks the rotary motion of the crank arm (12)and in a second position releases the rotary motion of the crank arm; aflange (4) rigidly connected with the shaft (5) with said crank arm (12)pivotally fastened about said axis of rotation on said flange (4) at adistance from the shaft (5); a projection (14) provided on said crankarm (12); and a sliding piece (9) displaceable by contact with saidprojection (14) for moving the locking pin (34) from said first positionto said second position by moving the crank arm (12) around its axis ofrotation (11).
 9. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 8 wherein on theshaft (5) and above the flange (4) a part (2) is disposed in which theshaft (5) rotates and which has an element (16) directed downwardlywhich when the sliding piece (9) is pushed out is disposed between theshaft (5) and said sliding piece (9) and which when the sliding piece(9) is pushed in reaches behind a holding projection (10) of saidsliding piece (9).
 10. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 9, wherein thepart directed downwardly has an oblique surface (33) which when thesliding piece (9) is pushed out resists on an oblique surface of saidsliding piece (9) so that if the sliding piece (9) is slid inward thepart (16) directed downwardly is lifted upwardly until it reaches behindthe holding projection (10) of the sliding piece (9).
 11. Crankmechanism as stated in claim 8, further comprising another flange (8)provided below said flange (4) which has essentially the same dimensionsas the flange (4) and that on said another flange (8) the sliding piece(9) is disposed.
 12. Crank mechanism as stated in claim 11, wherein thetwo flanges (4, 8) comprise essentially a semicircular area with arectangular piece adjoining it.
 13. Crank mechanism as stated in claim11 or 8, wherein the flange (4) has notches on its circumference. 14.Crank mechanism as stated in claim 12, characterized in that the anotherflange (8) is provided with a covering.
 15. Crank mechanism as stated inclaim 3 or 8 characterized in that the locking pin (34) slidableparallel to the shaft (5) can only at a particular position of anannular gear (56) be shifted into a path of a limit stop means connectedwith the annular gear (56) or disengaged from the limit stop means byspring force. 6